Infant Smile

Not long after, Steward Liu entered carrying a steaming bowl of medicine. Madam Chen took the bowl, scooped up a spoonful, blew on it to cool it, and brought it to Chen Mo's lips.

"Second Young Master, time to take your medicine."

Seeing the noblewoman's tearful expression, Chen Mo felt a measure of comfort.

It seemed the parents in this life truly loved their son.

When Chen Mo took a sip, Madam Chen's tears turned to a smile. "Take your medicine properly and recover well. Your father is getting on in years, and he hopes you'll inherit the Chen Mansion's estate someday."

Chen Mo found it a bit odd but continued gulping down the medicine.

Inheriting the estate wasn't important—what mattered was that he wanted to take the medicine.

After finishing, Madam Chen helped Chen Mo lie down but didn't leave, instead murmuring softly by his side.

"Your mother's health is poor, and I can't bear more children. Eldest Young Master has just passed, so I can't let anything happen to you..."

After a moment of adjustment, Chen Mo spoke. "Mother, I'm fine. You and Father haven't slept well these past few days either. Go rest early. Just let Qiulan and Master Zhou Wu stay with me."

Hearing Chen Mo call her "Mother," Madam Chen wept with joy and hugged him tightly. "Second Young Master knows how to call me Mother—truly, you've recovered."

Then, still emotional, she released Chen Mo, clasped her hands, and bowed toward the door. "Thank you, Goddess Hong Deng..."

Watching Madam Chen mutter like this, Chen Mo felt a stir of emotion.

After paying her respects to the Goddess, Madam Chen sat down and spoke comforting words to Chen Mo for a long while, finally leaving at his insistence.

As soon as she was gone, Chen Mo called for Qiulan. "Qiulan, go fetch Master Zhou Wu."

Master Zhou Wu, originally named Zhou Liang, was over forty years old. In his early years, he had served as an instructor at the county martial arts school, skilled in the ways of combat. Later, he became an escort guard at the Zhenwei Escort Agency in the county, traveling with shipments and gaining a wealth of experience.

Once, during a shipment, they were ambushed by bandits, and most of the escort hands were killed. Zhou Liang lost the shipment and owed a huge sum of silver.

It was Chen Yin Fu who bailed Zhou Liang out with money, and since then, Zhou Liang had served as a guard at the Chen Mansion for ten years.

Otherwise, with Zhou Liang's pride, he would never have stooped to being a house guard.

Money talks, after all...

Before long, a burly man in a gray close-fitting outfit strode in, a large broadsword hanging at his waist, looking quite imposing.

Zhou Liang approached the bed and gave a slight nod. "Second Young Master."

Though Zhou Liang was a guard, his extraordinary martial arts skills and reputation gave him high status—he wasn't a servant. He interacted with Chen Yin Fu as an equal, so naturally, he wouldn't grovel before Chen Mo.

Chen Mo coughed twice and cupped his hands. "Last time I had a relapse, I must thank Uncle Zhou for stepping in."

Cough.

Zhou Liang waved a hand, quite hearty. "That was nothing. Second Young Master will have good fortune after great calamity. Better days are ahead."

Chen Mo smiled. "Our entire Chen family relies on Uncle Zhou. Though I've recovered from my illness, I don't remember much. I'd like to ask for your guidance, Uncle Zhou."

Zhou Liang was a bit surprised.

The Second Young Master used to be arrogant and unruly, nothing like this polite and refined.

Could it be that the severe illness had changed his temperament? That he'd finally come to his senses?

In this world, the concept of "coming to one's senses" was popular.

For example, some mute people who couldn't speak for years would suddenly talk. Or some dull martial arts school apprentices would suddenly have an epiphany. All were said to have come to their senses.

After a moment, Zhou Liang snapped out of it and smiled. "Second Young Master, no need to be so polite. Just speak your mind."

Chen Mo voiced the question on his mind. "Occasionally, people in Honghe County catch the Mad Demon Disease. Uncle Zhou, do you know its origin?"

Zhou Liang thought for a moment. "In this world, demons and monsters run rampant, and people's lives are as cheap as weeds. It might be caused by some Evil Spirit. Lately, more and more people are getting the Mad Demon Disease, which is worrying."

Chen Mo didn't get useful information, so he pressed on. "Then, Uncle Zhou, do you know if the Mad Demon Disease is a physical illness or a mental one?"

As he asked, Chen Mo's heart raced with tension.

He was afraid of hearing the answer he dreaded.

Zhou Liang replied, "I've seen Eldest Young Master's death and others who died from it. It should be a physical illness. Those infected with the Mad Demon Disease show physical abnormalities. Clearly, it affects the body first, then the mind."

A physical illness...

Hiss!

Chen Mo sucked in a cold breath.

He hadn't expected the worst-case scenario to come true.

Zhou Liang comforted him. "Second Young Master, don't worry. I've looked into the Mad Demon Disease patients. Once it strikes, they completely go mad and turn into monsters. That you went mad and still recovered shows you've passed the ordeal. It must be thanks to Daoist Priest Li's great powers. No need to fret."

But Chen Mo remained uneasy. "What physical abnormalities do people with the Mad Demon Disease have?"

Zhou Liang said, "The killed mad monsters all had a baby's face on their abdomen... Alright, Second Young Master, don't dwell on it. I'll go patrol the grounds for the night watch."

Perhaps not wanting Chen Mo to overthink, Zhou Liang left with those words.

The large room was left with only Chen Mo.

He struggled to sit up, pushed aside the quilt, and rolled up his inner shirt. By the light of the bedside lamp, he looked at his own abdomen.

He hadn't looked before—but when he did, he got a shock.

A baby face the size of half a fist flickered faintly, eyes shut tight, lips curled upward as if smiling.

"What the hell!"

Chen Mo jumped in fright and quickly rubbed at it.

No matter how hard he tried, it wouldn't come off.

Like a birthmark, it had grown into his abdomen, fused with his skin.

A chill he couldn't name crept through Chen Mo.

"I'm done for..."

He stared blankly for a long while before snapping back to his senses, piecing together a theory in his mind:

The original body must have died from the disease.

And now that he had crossed over, inheriting that body, he'd naturally inherited the Mad Demon Disease that came with it.

Once the Mad Demon Disease flared up, he'd go completely mad.

At that thought, Chen Mo felt like he'd fallen into an ice cellar.

Wrapped in thick blankets, he still felt cold all over, utterly without warmth.

His first instinct was to call for Master Zhou Wu, tell him about his condition, and ask for advice.

But soon Chen Mo realized: no.

If anyone found out the Mad Demon Disease was still with him, they'd tie him up. They might even beat him to death.

After all, once it flared up, he'd turn into a monster that devoured people at will.

He couldn't let anyone know he was sick.

Luckily, Chen Mo, new to this place, wasn't used to having maidservants help him dress, so he'd chosen to change his inner clothes himself. His parents, anxious and overjoyed at his apparent recovery, hadn't dug into that detail. That was why no one had seen the Infant Smile on his abdomen.

I have to figure this out on my own.

"I barely managed to transmigrate into a wealthy family, with riches waiting for me—I can't become a mad, man-eating monster!"

"I need to understand this Mad Demon Disease. Find a way to deal with it..."

With that thought, Chen Mo had no more desire to sleep. He sat up straight away and called for Qiulan.

Qiulan entered and saw Chen Mo bending over to put on his shoes. She hurried over to stop him: "Young master, the madam told you to lie down and recover. Why are you getting up?"

Chen Mo said, "Help me out the door. I need to go to the County Office."

For something as strange as the Mad Demon Disease, the County Office should have detailed records on file.

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PS: The book is signed, feel free to read on~